Top Scallops In Houston

August 3, 2016 7:00 AM

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Slightly sweet and mellow, scallops appeal to a lot of people. It’s not difficult to find them on several restaurant menus, but only a few places around town can claim to serve the top scallops. These dishes may stand apart from the rest for their flavor or unique preparation. If you’re tired of the same old seafood, try the scallop dishes the next time you go out. You won’t be disappointed.

Scallops and bacon are a natural match, one which you will find at the Asian-inspired Kuu restaurant near Memorial City Mall. Though the menu is seasonal and likely to change, the current offerings include seared sea scallops that includes bacon, which is cured at the restaurant, and a 60-degree egg. Okra and enoki mushrooms round out this hot dish. If you want something completely unexpected, try some of the sushi selections at Kuu, which include the Poseidon, a makimono roll that includes chopped scallops. There are also scallops on the nigari and sashimi menu.

There aren’t many Portuguese restaurants around town and certainly none quite like Oporto Fooding House. As a fooding house, Oporto offers not only great food but also the experience of dining with others who love food and want to see it being prepared nearby in the open kitchen. This restaurant features not only an open kitchen but also a bar and bakery. The dinner menu features scallops served with cauliflower and a distinctive risotto made with farro grains instead of rice. If you have a hearty appetite and a love of seafood, don’t miss the arroz de mariscos, which is tomato rice with mussels, clams, snapper, prawns and scallops.

The Museum District never fails to surprise visitors with new and exciting things to see and experience, but even those who work and live in the area may not be aware of an upscale restaurant right inside one of the museums. The Menil Collection off West Alabama Street, hosts the Bistro Menil, which is a European café serving brunch, lunch and dinner five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays. Like the Menil itself, the design of the café is modern and minimalist. There are few frills around the restaurant, and the same can be said of the cuisine. Just because the dishes are simple does not mean they are not tasty or elegant. The scallops dish, on both the lunch and dinner menus, is a gluten-free concoction of diver scallops, beurre blanc and caviar. Though simply prepared, it is a popular dish at this hot spot. In fact, this restaurant is so popular that reservations are highly recommended, especially if you have a larger party.

Part of what makes a dish memorable is the cuisine. Peli Peli is the only Houston restaurant serving a fusion form of this cuisine that combines traditional dishes with American tastes, and it has been named as the most romantic dining spot in town in 2010 by local news KPRC. South Africa cuisine is already a melting pot, so the chef at Peli Peli found that adding American flavors to traditional dishes was easy. Scallops feature prominently in several dishes on the menu. Don’t miss the kingklip with shredded scallops. This eel dish is served with spinach and scallops. You could also try the seafood trio, which combines scallops, kingklip and shrimp. It’s a great option when you’re not sure about which dish to order. The unique flavors of South African cuisine make the scallop dishes at Peli Peli among those you must try.

Patrenella’s is a traditional Italian restaurant, founded by the son of immigrants from Sicily. The restaurant is in the Heights home built by the owner’s father, L.L. Patrenella. If you want the freshest dishes possible, Patrenella’s will serve you. The restaurant has an acre-sized garden in the back, where fresh vegetables and herbs are grown to be used in the dishes made at the restaurant. But a homey setting and fresh herbs are not the only reasons to come to Patrenella’s. This restaurant serves fabulous seared scallops that come with a highly flavorful tomato jam and basil risotto. Rather than simply serving the scallops with bacon – as most other restaurants do – Patrenella’s serves its scallops with pancetta, which is a type of cured Italian bacon that is typically served raw. For something slightly outside the box while still having the comforting flavors of bacon-wrapped scallops, visit Patrenella’s for its seared scallops with pancetta.

Crystal Hessong ia a freelance writer and a lifelong, fourth generation Houstonian. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.